Pallet container



Sept. 19, 1961 F. O'BRIEN PALLET CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1960 IIQIPIN 1.

INVENTOR FRANcIS LbRAm O'BRIEN ATTORNEY Sept. 19, 1961 I F. 1.. 0 5mm 3,000,602

PALLET CONTAINER Filed Jan. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 42 4e as I f v I I, r-1

0 T I6 46 13 I F .2. I I 14 L 50 1 J I I4 2e 26 as I ll 11 31 as T 34 I4 INVENTOR F" 6 FRANCIS LORAIN o'emm ATTORNEY nited This invention relates to pallets and, more particularly, to a knock-down, stackable pallet container.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a pallet container which can be partly or completely knocked-down, or disassembled and stored in a space of small volume and which, when assembled, provides an extremely strong and durable structure which may be stacked with similar pallets to forma column highly resistant to twisting, sagging or other distortion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knockdown pallet container formed of several identical parts, so that comparatively few different types of parts need be manufactured and stocked.

To attain the above general objectives, it is intended now to provide a pallet having four identical corner units having double vertical sockets for supporting double corner posts, and having lateral brackets and horizontal sockets in which cross beams and side supports are removably aflixed. By forming the vertical sockets with open opposite ends, it is intended to provide for stacking the pallets, one on top of the other, and by similarly forming the horizontal sockets with both ends open, provision is made for using any of the identical corner units at any corner of the assembly.

Furthermore, it is intended to provide for the connection of the separable parts to form identical front and rear sub-assemblies, each consisting of two corner units joined by a cross beam bolted at its ends to the lateral brackets on the corner units. The sub-assemblies thus formed may be stored with the remaining disassembled parts in a comparatively small space and, when a pallet or container is to be set up, it is necessary only to fit tubular side supports in the horizontal sockets and tubular corner posts in the vertical sockets, and then fit a platform within the then-open rectangular frame to complete the main parts of the pallet container. Provision is also made for mounting fence walls between the corner posts for forming an enclosure.

By providing rigid front and rear sub-assemblies, it is intended to guard against lateral deformation of the parallelogram framework, while still retaining the advantages of quick assembly and disassembly attained by 1 the telescoping engagement of the ends of the side members of the frame in the horizontal sockets of the corner units.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specifications and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one complete pallet container assembled, and a second identical container stacked and partly assembled on top;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a front 'or rear subassembly; i

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sub-assembly shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of a corner post assembly;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the pallet platform; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the platform shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, each pallet container 12 consists of four identical corner units 14, a pair of cross beams 16, each connecting a pair of corner units, and a pair of tubular side supports 18. In each corner unit are mounted two corner post assemblies 20, and a platform 22 engages within the rectangular frame formed Patent (3 i Patented Sept. 19, 1961 by the corner units, cross beams and side supports. Fence panels 24 are connected between the corner post assemblies to complete the enclosure.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, each corner unit .14 is formed with two vertical sockets 26 extending completely through, from top to bottom, and having open upper and lower ends 28 and 30. Formed laterally of vertical sockets 26 is a horizontal socket 32 having open ends 34 and 35 and, on the side of the vertical sockets opposite from horizontal socket 32 are a pair of brackets 37 and 38 closely spaced to define between them a slot 40. The portions of corner units 14 which form the lower ends 30' of vertical sockets 26 extend downwardly, well below the lower ends of bracket flanges 36 so as to constitute legs 41 which support the assembly, particularly the subsequently described platform above the level of the ground. The brackets 37 and 38 aresymmetrically disposed with respect to the center line of the corner unit, and the upper edges 39 of the bracket flanges are disposed in the horizontal plane which lies above the upper peripheral part of horizontal socket 32. The symmetrical disposition of bracket flanges 37 and 38 permits the use of any one of the identical corner units 14 at any corner of the assembly.

Disposed at the front and rear of the assembly are the cross beams 16 which are, essentially, angle irons with horizontal and vertical flanges 42 and 44 respectively. The opposite ends of vertical flanges 44 are formed with integral downward extensions 46 having bolt holes which align with the bolt holes of brackets 37 and 38 for receiving bolts 48. Front and rear sub-assemblies, one of which is denoted generally at 50 in FIGS. 2 and 3, are formed by fitting the ends of the cross beam vertical flanges 44 into the slots 40, with the horizontal flange 42 of the cross beam resting on an upper edge 39 of one of the brackets. To complete the rectangular framework, the ends of tubular side supports 18 need only be fitted into the appropriate open ends of the horizontal sockets 32 of the respective corner units 14.

Two corner posts assemblies 20 are provided for each corner, each consisting of a corner post 51 having a tapering end piece 52 at its upper end and a stop collar 54 near its upper end. Panel supporting collars 56' may also be aflixed around the corner posts as shown in FIG. 4, the lowermost collar serving as a stop for the lower end of the post when the latter is fitted downwardly into an upper end 28 of a vertical socket 26. Collars 56 may also be provided with 'apertured ears 56a to which a fence panel may be attached.

Referring particularly to FIGS.- 5 and 6, platform 22, preferably of weather-resistance plywood, is formed of upper and lower plywood sheets 58 and 60 whose adjacent faces are strongly bonded to one another. Upper sheet 58 is wider than lower sheet 60, with marginal overhangs 62 extending outwardly beyond the adjacent edges of the bottom sheet 60. When platform 22 is fitted into place, marginal overhangs 62 rest on the horizontal flanges 42 of cross beams '16 and the double thickness ends 68 of the platform rest on tubular side sup ports 18. Corner cut-outs 70 in the top platform sheet 60 accommodate corner units 14. If desired, marginal overhangs 62 may be bolted or otherwise fastened to the horizontal flanges 42 of cross beams 16.

Fence panels 24 of various types, preferably flexible at each corner. Pallet containers 12 may be stacked or assembled, one on top of the other, as shown in FIG. 1 by fitting the open lower ends 30 of vertical sockets downwardly over the upper ends of corner posts 20 until theleg portions .1 of the corner units engage stop collars 54. It will also be apparentto those .skilled in the art that a flat pallet may be provided by eliminating the corner posts and fence panels or, alternatively, the

box-like enclosure may be formed by eliminating the.

corner posts and fence panels from the uppermost unit when the latter is stacked on alower unit as shown in FIG. 1.

The invention is not limited to the details shown'and described hereinbefore, but is intended 1.0 cover. all substitutions, modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A generally rectangular. frame composed of front and rear sides and .a pair of ends, and having .four corner units each with a pair of vertical sockets, another socket on one side of said vertical sockets, and a bracket means on the other side of said vertical sockets, a pair of elongate cross beams constituting front and rear sides of the frame, means for connecting the opposite ends of each of said cross beams to the respective bracket means on said corner units, whereby to form front and rear sub-assemblies consisting of a pair of corner units and one of said cross beams, a. pair. of elongate end pieces for said frame, eaohof said'end pieces having the opposite ends engaging in the other sockets the respective corner units so as to constitute the ends of the frame, said frame being adapted to support a platform engaging in said framework with the marginal edges thereof resting on said cross beamsand end pieces, and four pairs of corner posts, each pair of posts respectively engaging in the pairs of vertical sockets in said corner units.

2. The combination claimed .in claim 1, individual fence panels, one disposed. at each side of said frame, and means for securing the oppositeends of the fence panels each to one of the two corner posts at the corners of the frame adjacent the respective sides at which said panels are disposed.

3. The combinationclaimed in claim 1, said pairs of vertical sockets having open upper and lower ends, said posts having lower and upper ends respectively engageable in the upper and lower ends of said sockets, whereby said frame may be stacked, one on top of the other with the upper ends of the posts of a lower cntainer engaging in the lower ends of the sockets of the next upper container.

4. A knock-down pallet container comprising, .in combination, a generally rectangular frame having four corner units each with a pair of vertical-sockets, a horizontal socket on one side of said vertical sockets, and a bracket means on the other side of said vertical sockets, a pair of elongate cross beams constituting front and rear sides of the frame and means'for connecting the opposite ends of each ofsaid cross beams respectively to the respective bracket means of a pair of said corner units, whereby to form front and rear sub-assemblies consisting of a pair of corner and one of said cross beams, a pair of elongate end pie esfor said frame, said end pieces each having opposite ends telescopically engaging in said horizontal sockets for joining said sub-assemblies, a platform engaging in said framework with the marginal edges thereof resting on said cross beams and end pieces, and

four pairs of corner posts, each pair of posts respectively ally spaced vertical surfaces defining a vertical slot-therebetween and having co-planar top surfaces, said cross beams com-prising angle irons having normally vertical and horizontal flanges, the vertical flanges at each end of a cross beam engaging in the vertical slots between a pair of flanges and the horizontal flanges at each end of the beam resting on the top surface of one of the brackets.

7. A corner unit for a knock-down pallet container comprising a body having a laterally spaced pair of vertical open-top sockets therein for receiving a pair of corner posts, said body having a pair of opposite sides spaced from one another by said vertical sockets, a horizontal socket on one of said opposite sides for receiving ahorizontal frame element, and bracket means OI'L'thG other of said opposite sides for supporting another horizontal frame element at right-angles to the first-mentioned frame element.

8.. A knock-down pallet container comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular frame having four corner units each with a pair of vertical sockets, a horizontal socket on one side of said vertical sockets, and a bracket on the other side of said vertical sockets, a pair of elon gate angle irons constituting front and rear sides of the frame and means for connecting the opposite ends of each of said cross beams respectively to the respective brackets of a pair of said corner uni-ts, whereby to form front and rear sub assemblies consisting of a pair of corner units and one of said cross beams, a pair of elongate tulbular end pieces for said frame, said end pieces each having opposite ends telescopically engaging in said horizontal sockets for joining said sub-assemblies, four pairs ofco-rner posts, each pair of posts respectively engaging in the pairs of vertical sockets in said corner units and a platform engaging in said framework with the marginal. edges thereof resting on said angle irons and .end pieces, said platform comprising a'genenally rectangular sheet having corner cut-outs accommodating the respective corner units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

1,490,665 Gifford Apr. 15, 1924 .FOREIGN PATENTS 54,863 Denmark June 13, 1938 1,089,616 France Oct. 6,1954 

